Florence Luscomb
Encyclopedia
Florence Hope Luscomb was an American architect and women's suffrage
activist in Massachusetts
. One of the first women to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
with a degree in architecture, Luscomb became a partner in an early woman-owned architecture firm before work in the field became scarce during World War I
. She then dedicated herself fully to activism in the women's suffrage movement, becoming a prominent leader of Massachusetts suffragists.
, Massachusetts
, the daughter of a dedicated suffragist and women's right activist. Soon after her birth, her parents separated and she moved with her mother to Boston
. As a child in Boston, she went with her mother to women's suffrage events, at one point seeing Susan B. Anthony
speak. She became an ardent suffragist, starting by selling a pro-suffrage newspaper on the street.
Luscomb was among the first women to earn a degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. Women still experienced significant challenges during her tenure there. For example, Luscomb had to inquire at twelve firms before one of them would hire her for an internship after her second year. Following her graduation, she was hired by Ida Annah Ryan
, the first woman to earn an architecture degree from M.I.T. She would later become a partner in Ryan's firm. Ryan and Luscomb shared an interest in women's suffrage, and Ryan gave Luscomb a degree of flexibility at work that allowed her to be active in the women's suffrage movement. During this time, Luscomb helped organized various events for the suffrage movement, and during a debate on adding a suffrage amendment to the state constitution gave more than 200 speeches in 14 weeks.
She later continued her education in architecture at the newly opened Cambridge School of Architecture in 1916, and began working with local architects Henry Frost and Bremer Pond in addition to her work with Ryan. However, her career was put on hiatus when new construction slumped due to the entrance of the United States into World War I. As a result, she accepted a position as Executive Secretary for the Boston Equal Suffrage Association. She would go on to work for a number of organizations in the Boston area, including the Boston chapters of the League of Women Voters
and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
and organizations dedicated to prison reform and factory safety. Luscomb also helped found a local of the United Office and Professional Workers of America and served as a volunteer with the local NAACP and ACLU.
Upon her mother's death in 1933, Luscomb inherited enough money that she could dedicate her time fully to activism. She would run for public office four times. The first, for Boston Council in 1922, she nearly won. Races for Congress in 1936 and 1950 and for Governor in 1952 were largely protest campaigns. An ardent anti-McCarthyist
, she was at one point called to testify before a committee in the Massachusetts legislature that was investigating communism. She wrote an early anti-Vietnam War
leaflet and would later advise some of the founders of the American feminist movement
, encouraging them to include the poor and women of color. In her later life, she took up residence on a commune, where she died in 1985.
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
activist in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. One of the first women to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
with a degree in architecture, Luscomb became a partner in an early woman-owned architecture firm before work in the field became scarce during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. She then dedicated herself fully to activism in the women's suffrage movement, becoming a prominent leader of Massachusetts suffragists.
Biography
Luscomb was born in LowellLowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, the daughter of a dedicated suffragist and women's right activist. Soon after her birth, her parents separated and she moved with her mother to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. As a child in Boston, she went with her mother to women's suffrage events, at one point seeing Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
speak. She became an ardent suffragist, starting by selling a pro-suffrage newspaper on the street.
Luscomb was among the first women to earn a degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. Women still experienced significant challenges during her tenure there. For example, Luscomb had to inquire at twelve firms before one of them would hire her for an internship after her second year. Following her graduation, she was hired by Ida Annah Ryan
Ida Annah Ryan
Ida Annah Ryan was a pioneering United States woman architect. She was born on November 4, 1873 at Waltham, MA, one of five children of Albert Morse Ryan and Carrie S. Jameson. Albert Morse Ryan was a Waltham city employee and historian who also ran a milk business. She graduated from the Waltham...
, the first woman to earn an architecture degree from M.I.T. She would later become a partner in Ryan's firm. Ryan and Luscomb shared an interest in women's suffrage, and Ryan gave Luscomb a degree of flexibility at work that allowed her to be active in the women's suffrage movement. During this time, Luscomb helped organized various events for the suffrage movement, and during a debate on adding a suffrage amendment to the state constitution gave more than 200 speeches in 14 weeks.
She later continued her education in architecture at the newly opened Cambridge School of Architecture in 1916, and began working with local architects Henry Frost and Bremer Pond in addition to her work with Ryan. However, her career was put on hiatus when new construction slumped due to the entrance of the United States into World War I. As a result, she accepted a position as Executive Secretary for the Boston Equal Suffrage Association. She would go on to work for a number of organizations in the Boston area, including the Boston chapters of the League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom was established in the United States in January 1915 as the Woman's Peace Party...
and organizations dedicated to prison reform and factory safety. Luscomb also helped found a local of the United Office and Professional Workers of America and served as a volunteer with the local NAACP and ACLU.
Upon her mother's death in 1933, Luscomb inherited enough money that she could dedicate her time fully to activism. She would run for public office four times. The first, for Boston Council in 1922, she nearly won. Races for Congress in 1936 and 1950 and for Governor in 1952 were largely protest campaigns. An ardent anti-McCarthyist
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
, she was at one point called to testify before a committee in the Massachusetts legislature that was investigating communism. She wrote an early anti-Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
leaflet and would later advise some of the founders of the American feminist movement
Feminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
, encouraging them to include the poor and women of color. In her later life, she took up residence on a commune, where she died in 1985.